Erco 415C accident near Boring, Oregon, April 4, 1983
On April 4, 1983 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Erco 415C, registered N87110, was substantially damaged in an accident near Boring, Oregon. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 4, 1983 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Boring, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Erco 415C · all 415Cs on the register
- Registration
- N87110 · no longer on the register · serial 283
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A FENCE AND COLLAPSED THE NOSE GEAR DURING A FORCED LANDING AFTER THE ENGINE LOST POWER IN CRUISE FLIGHT. THE PILOT HAD DEPARTED OREGON CITY EARLIER TO FLY TO EVERGREEN AIRPORT TO FUEL THE AIRCRAFT AND THEN TO RETURN TO OREGON CITY. AFTER FUELING HE STARTED THE RETURN FLIGHT. EARLY IN THE FLIGHT THE ENGINE STARTED SPUTTERING. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A PASTURE. THE ACFT HIT A FENCE AND THE NOSE GEAR DUG IN DURING ROLLOUT AND COLLAPSED. THE ACFT HAD BEEN PARKED OUTDOORS AT EVERGREEN DURING THE WINTER WITH ONLY 2 GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE MAIN WING TANKS. THE FUSELAGE TANK HAD BEEN KEPT FULL AND PROVIDED A TROUBLE-FREE FLIGHT TO EVERGREEN WHERE THE MAIN TANKS WER FILLED. AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE GASCOLATOR BOWL WAS DRAINED AND YEILDED ABOUT A TEASPOON OF WATER. THE PILOT STATED HE KEPT MINUMUM FUEL IN THE WING TANKS AT OREGON CITY BECAUSE OF FUEL THEFT. HE HAD NOT CHECKED THE TANKS FOR WATER AFTER FUELING. NO WATER WAS FOUND IN THE EVERGREEN FUEL SUPPLY.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 85 hours in all; 35 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,639 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,260 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Vancouver WA
- Destination: Oregon City OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.